


Breathless Prayers~

by C_A_T_M



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Abuse, Blood, Cages, Cat/Human Hybrids, Escape, F/M, Hybrids, I promise, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Imprisonment, Injury, Its nicer than it seems, Tasers, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2020-11-01 11:01:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20814038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C_A_T_M/pseuds/C_A_T_M
Summary: In a world where hybrids are the norm and walk amongst people, it's easy to forget the behind the scenes struggle until you're directly plunged into it.





	1. Breathless

“Holy fuck,” Her cry was more so a groan of pain than any intelligible words.

Her body ached, throbbing endlessly with every second that slowly ticked by. It felt like someone was sitting on her chest, slowly suffocating her while simultaneously hitting her over the head. 

Under her, the floor was hard and unforgiving, the cold seeping into her bones and making her shiver as she forced open an eye. It took a split second before she adjusted to the lighting of the room; bright yet not harsh. However, as she realised where she was, the shock numbed any and all the pain. 

Thick, looming steel bars surrounded her, caging her in and stopping her from getting up. The metal was cool, freezing even, under her fingertips and she shivered - reaching from the tips of her toes to her shoulders. 

Panic was beginning to set in, soft breathing turning louder and gradually escalating into hyperventilation. What was this place? And why the hell was she trapped in a giant cage?

‘Okay, just breathe,’ Willing herself to calm down, she got up onto her knees and ignored the way her joints popped in protest. Instead, she shuffled up to the edge of the cage and squinted, trying to make sense of her surroundings. 

There was room for her to move around freely, probably enough space for three people to fit if they sat side by side. However, the vertical height wasn’t as forgiving, hence the reason for her sitting up and not standing.

Nonetheless, as her fingers wrapped around the cool bars and she looked wrong the room, a deep rooted horror filled her entire body. 

Pictures of _her_ stared back, each in a different position and increasingly more sexual with every hung up frame. Large, doe eyes were gazing down, boring into her own as she swallowed thickly, unable to tear her eyes away from the absurd display.

There was no denying this woman, whoever she was, looked incredibly like her. If one had glanced at them both for a split second, they would no doubt mistake them for twins. It was only when you looked closer they the differences became apparently, but the most significant one was their limbs; or lack thereof.

In the images two beautiful, spotted white ears lay nestled amongst her hair, almost likelike enough to reach out and touch. And in one of the pictures that was in front of her, a single ear stood up to attention while the other rested flat against her hair. 

Whoever this person was, it was not her. She was human and always had been, and as far as she knew, she had no hybrid lineage either. 

“Hello? Hello!” Suddenly she was frantic, confused and beyond scared of the current circumstances. “What the fuck! Let me out!“ 

Sounds of metal crashing and scraping filled the room, anxiety spiking as she shook the bars and caused a ruckus. If she didn’t get out soon then she would surely go crazy.

“LET ME OUT!” Screaming at the top of her lungs, the headache returning full force, she willed herself to reach out towards the pack lock and tried to fiddle with it. Maybe if she could shift something, it would open.

Just as her brows furrowed, fingers grazing the top of the lock, the sound of bolts shifting and turning made her freeze, hand pulling away with lightning speed. 

Trembling, she quickly backed away from the side of the cage. A pair of legs came into view, well dressed in smart black trousers, before the figure crouched down. 

No words were exchanged, shaky breathing contrasted with the controlled and defiant smile on the man’s face.

He was handsome, late 30’s at the most. His features were sharp, piercing almond eyes getting under her skin and forcing her to gulp. A tailored suit decorated his lithe form, each inch iron pressed without a single speck of dust in sight, not even creasing when he squatted so he was eye level with her. 

Head tilting, his tongue darted out and swiped across his bottom lip, regarding her with a look that made her blood run cold. “Hanya,” He started, voice low and rumbling in his chest as he held his head in his palms, “why would you leave me?”

Unable to form a coherent thought, she stared instead, pulling her arms and legs closer to herself. 

Rapidly, his expression changed from the smooth and easy going smile to enraged, brows furrowed and lips curling into a disgusted sneer. “Hanya, you’re so disrespectful. I have no idea how you managed to get rid of your ears and tail, but you surely knew you wouldn’t last?” Tone condescending, her anger began to bubble in her gut. 

“I’m not Hanya,” Gritting her teeth, the words were snarled, sentence punctuated with an icy look of wrath. The deadly sin was slowly consuming her, frying any form of timidness that remained - it was a wonder how she managed to stay calm. “Let me out.”

Slowly, he leant forward and before she could react, his fingers had curled around her shirt and tugged her forward harshly, head banging against the metal bars. Fabric strained under his grip but he couldn’t have cared less, hold tight and near enough suffocating. “Shut the fuck up. Do you know how much of my time and money you’ve wasted with your little disappearing act?”

Mouth glued shut, she could only try to pry his hands off of her clothing. 

“Too much,” His perfume was intoxicating, head spinning with every second that she was forced to inhale it. “I wasted too much to fucking find you, and you want act dumb? Don’t make me laugh.”

“I’m not Hanya! I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Willing herself not to stammer, she look him in the eye; only to instantly regret it once she saw the sickening glint in them.

“You stupid bitch, you knew your kits will bring me some much money and you still ran away. I should kill you right here and now for your insolence,” His breath hit her face and she recoiled as much as she could with his fingers still curled into her shirt. “But I won’t. I’ll be nice and give you another chance, Hanya.”

Somehow, she didn’t feel reassured. 

His hold loosened and she scrambled away, back hitting the opposite end of the cage. 

“Don’t worry, you’ll be okay,” He walked away yet before she could breathe a sigh of relief, the cage door slammed open and two burly guards began to climb inside, making their way towards her. 

“Don’t fucking touch me,” ignoring her, one of them attempted to grab her leg but she moved it just in time, “don’t TOUCH me.”

They were calm, not even looking at her face as they cornered her and forced her to squeeze herself into the smallest ball she could manage. Clearly, it was the end of the line.

A hand roughly grabbed at her ankle, latching on with inhuman strength and pulling her along the ground, the cool metal colliding with her skin as her shirt slid upwards from the drag. 

No matter how many times she yelled, kicked and screamed, they barely budged and held her down - granted it did take _both_ of them for this. 

Their holds were as strong as the cage that had surrounded her, her voice going unheard as she was treated as nothing more than a ragdoll.

“Please, I’m not Hanya. I don’t know who that i-” There was no courtesy nor care as they threw her into a room, body colliding with the floor with more pain erupting from every inch of her body. “Wait!”

The huge wrought iron door slammed shut, gears locking and turning before one final bang reverberated throughout the room. 

For a moment she felt nothing, the silence ringing in her ears. Then, all at once, everything hit her.

Standing up despite the wobble in her limbs, her fists collided with the metal, looking around for any sort of exit way. It was entirely solid aside from one skill hatch that barely looked big enough for her head to find through, let alone her body. 

She was locked in, no if’s and’s or but’s.

Back sliding against the door, she sat up and stared at her hands. How had she ended up in such a situation? 

Like every other day, she had been down the road and was just about to head into a bakery to try and snag some pastries before they sold out, when she had her path intercepted by a well dressed and smart looking man. He had asked her if she could look at his car and insisted when when she tried to walk away. The only thing past that she remembered seeing was black and the feeling of struggling against restraints. 

Inhaling and exhaling, she swallowed and closed her eyes for a moment. She wouldn’t be bested by a psycho that had mistaken her identity. 

Though the universe didn’t want her to rest, instead the moment of calm was twisted and manipulated into one of anxiety. A rustling could be heard, and when she focused hard enough, she could hear breathing too. 

Senses heightened and alert, her eyes snapped open only to spot another slitted pair staring right at her. They were a deep brown, flecked with green and blue with a beautiful ring of gold around the irises. 

“You’re not Hanya,” The owner of the eyes said, sounding suspicious and rather annoyed. Me too, she thought before having enough sense to sit up onto her knees to see more clearly. “You look like her though. Who are you?“ 

Now that she had a better view, she could see that he didn’t look very hostile. His white and black spotted tail flicked behind him, one ear flat on his head and the other standing to attention, twitching whenever she made a slight noise. Yet he hardly looked threatening, his cherub like features balancing everything out. 

"Who are YOU?” Not willing to give anything away to another strangers, she stared at him. 

He shrugged, brushing away a strand of blonde hair from his face. “I’m Kihyun.”

Kihyun seemed like he was expecting an answer but she didn’t reply with what he wanted. Neither of them made any further movement and she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. 

“Why am I here?” Despite looking a little miffed that she hadn’t answered his question, his expression softened considerably at her question. 

“Master thinks you’re Hanya,” It was the same rhetoric from a different person and she was growing frustrated. Why did they keep mentioning this person when she had no idea who it was? “But you aren’t. You smell different.”

“I know,” she replied bitterly while ignoring the scnt comment, “who is she?" 

His tail stilled, curling around his waist as he stroked it - presumably it was a comfort thing. "Hanya was the master’s most prized hybrid. She ran away three months ago and he’s been going crazy trying to find her.”

“But why? What does he even want her for?” Now that she examined him closely, she realised that he and Hanya had very similar patterned ears and tails. More than likely they were the same hybrid species. 

Kihyun turned his head, no longer looking at her directly and instead at the impenetrable metal wall behind her. “He wanted us to have children so he could sell them. We’re snow leopard hybrids, the last few of our kind, and people would pay extortionate fees just to have one of us.”

Suddenly she felt sick, the contents of her stomach churning and her heart dropped. His jaw was clenched, expression unreadable as he stopped stroking his tail. 

Not once had she even considered the possibility that hybrids were treated in such an abhorrent manner: as though they were nothing more than money making machines for their ‘owners’ to profit off of. 

The gentle lilt in her voice was nothing in comparison to the sympathy and anger that bubbled within her. “I’m sorry,” She said softly, only to have it shrugged away as he painted on a smile. It really seemed as though he had turned apathetic to the topic.

“It’s not your fault,” was his simple response before it turned silent again. 

Getting up, his eyes followed her actions as she headed towards the bed. Despite the grim cage she had been in just minutes before, the room she was in now was spacious and designed for maximum comfort. The wooden floor underfoot had to have been made from the finest grain available, with the furniture and other items no less expensive. 

The bed was clearly designed for two, with no other one in sight, and she suppressed a shudder. She was no idiot and quickly realised that the man expected them to be together - in more ways than one. Thankfully, Kihyun looked like that was the last thing he’d rather do and she agreed. 

There was no squeaking as she sat on the bed, the soft duvet giving way under her weight. As tired as she was, the fear of being in an unknown place made it so that her mind wouldn’t permit sleeping. 

“I won’t touch you, I promise you. The bed is all yours,” He spoke, still seated within his maroon bean bag, “You don’t deserve to be here." 

For some reason, she didn’t doubt his words either. 

Maybe it was the honesty that spoke with or maybe it wae the melancholy etched in his stunning hues, his smile barely reaching his lips as he made himself comfortable on the bean bag. 

And even if she couldn’t bring herself to relax right away, she found some comfort in him. 

* * *

Even if she has managed to get comfortable, she probably had, at most, 5 hours of sleep. Every cell in her body was on high alert, nerves running high and heart hammering in her ears. Kihyun hadn’t moved from his beanbag since they’d last spoken and she didn’t know whether to be glad or concerned. 

Exhaling quietly, the white ceiling burnt into her corneas and she closed her eyes. "Kihyun?” her voice was loud despite the care she had put in to whisper, the silence of the room making it echo. “Are you asleep?”

It was… Odd, for lack of a better word, how she felt comfortable enough to reach out. Here she was, locked in a room because of a crazy man that believed she was someone she wasn’t, and she was trying to talk to the hybrid she was stuck with. She would have laughed if she had the energy. 

There was a beat of silence that was suffocating, the air thick before it was cut through by a soft hum.

“Yes,” She heard shuffling, “is something wrong?”

“I can’t sleep,” Despite feeling silly, she couldn’t help but carry on speaking, “I’m so afraid.” The confession was meek, badly audible, but judging from the twitch of his ears, he had heard it loud and clear. 

“I’m sorry, you should have never been dragged into this,” Kihyun sounded so sincere that her heart couldn’t help but squeeze in her chest, “I wish I could comfort you but I don’t have any means of doing so.”

“You’re too kind to someone you’ve only known a few hours,” He made a noise, sounding like a cross between a laugh and a sigh.

“Do I need to know someone to be kind?” no, she supposed not, “I’m going to try my hardest to get you out of here. You’ll escape, I promise you.”

“Kihyun…” She swallowed, teary eyed, “thank you.”

He turned away, back facing her. “It’s okay. Just try to sleep now, or you’ll be tired for the rest of the day.”

“Okay,” It was quiet again as she rolled onto her side, “sleep well.”

“You too.”

* * *

BANG!

A loud noise startled her awake, the hairs on her arms and neck rising as adrenaline shot through her veins at the speed of light. She sat up so quick it was a miracle she didn’t have whiplash, head turned toward the source of the noise. 

A small hatch in the metal door had opened, trays of food pushed through the hole as Kihyun knelt in front of it, gingerly taking them and pulling them inside. 

“Kihyun?” He looked up, eyes glimmering under the pale lighting and he mustered a soft smile, beckoning her over. 

Getting up, she made her way towards him and sat down beside the tray, staring at food. She didn’t trust a single crumb on the plate. 

“I can’t smell anything extra, it’s not been messed with,” Kihyun said, looking more at the hatch than at her. 

And it was then that an idea popped into her head - really, it was a foolish one that a toddler would have thought better of, but it was the only one that her sleep deprived mind could think of and execute. 

Within a split second, she stuck her foot and hand through the opening, holding the hatch open with brute strength. Kihyun’s eyes widened at her actions, rendered speechless from the sheer gall of her actions. 

“Hey! Let us out, you insane bastard!” Anger fuelled her words, barely thinking about any consequences as Kihyun watched her, still in shock. “You’re sick in the head, forcing people to have children and then sell them off. You’re vile and disgusting and I hope you rot in the deepest pit of he-" 

It happened in a split second, the metal hatch closing on her limbs and pushing down on her skin, almost slicing through the flesh with the pressure that was being applied. 

"Fuck you,” She spat, barely noticing the blood that started to seep from the cut in her ankle. 

There was a tut, the sound coming from all angles of the room and making her jolt.

“Hanya, what has gotten into you? You used to be so quiet and easy to deal with,” A chill went down her spine as she recognised the voice as that of the man from yesterday. “I think maybe you need to be discipli-”

“Master, forgive her please. Hanya is just being erratic, she doesn’t need to be punished. She’s been away for so long, she’s not thinking straight,” It was her turn to go quiet from surprise, not expecting him to speak up and defend her. “Please raise the hatch.”

The hatch lifted at his plea and she moved her hand and foot, nursing them both with a frown. 

“If you do something foolish again Hanya, don’t expect to be let off the hook so easily,” Static crackled in the room before it was quiet again. 

She looked at her ankle, frowning at the droplets of crimson that bubbled to the surface. Hopefully they would scab over quickly. 

“Why would you do something like that?” His voice was full of exasperation, hand slowly reaching out to touch her wrist. “He won’t let out if you protest like that. Gaining his trust is the easiest way to get out of here.”

Glancing at him, she noticed his expression was that of concern despite his tone. Immediately, she felt guilty. Of course it was fool hardy but desperation inhibited her sense of reason. 

"Sorry,“ Mumbling, she was dismissed with a shake of his head. 

"It’s okay,” His thumb brushed over the faint red line on her wrist and he got up, looking through the shelf and returning with vaseline, “There’s no cream here but Vaseline works well. Can I?”

Nodding, his touch was gentle as he smeared it across her injured limbs. His brows were furrowed in concentration and she realised, for the first time, how attractive he really was. Sure she had known that he was handsome, though panic had stopped her from noticing the full extent of his beauty. 

His lashes were thick, almost brushing against his cheek as he looked down at her injuries. Pretty pink lips were pursed in concentration, his fingers working quickly to rub it into her skin before letting go. 

“There,” He nodded at his own handy work, “all done.”

“Thank you,” Kihyun smiled, pushing the tray of food towards her and gesturing towards it. “Are you sure there’s nothing?”

“100%, I’ll even try some,” Even though he didn’t need to, he ate some of the food from both plates and washed her worries about them being tampered with. Being a hybrid seemed to have its advantages. 

They ate in silence, the food filling her empty stomach and she looked around the room again. No matter how many times she stared, she couldn’t comprehend how starkly different it was to the cage. 

“How long have you been here?” If she was going to be stuck with Kihyun for god knew how long, it only made sense she got to know him a little. 

He barely looked up, instead focused on eating his food as fast as he could - like it would be taken away from him otherwise. “Over two years. I’ve been here a while now.”

Despite it being shrugged away nonchalantly, she felt despair at his situation. She couldn’t imagine being trapped for so long with only one other person to talk to normally, only for them to disappear too. 

“You should eat faster, they only give us five minutes,” So that’s why he was shoving it down his throat. She sped up considerably, though not quite at the same level of Kihyun who was already finished by the time she had gotten half way through the dish.

He watched her, eyes tracing over her features as he noticed the startling amount of similarities between her and Hanya. There was as much in common as there was differences. Though they mostly weren’t outward, apart from minor things like lack of beauty marks and different hair length and, obviously, the lack of extra limbs; they had completely different attitudes.

Hanya had always been a lone ‘wolf’, never wanting to depend on anyone else and doing things for her own benefit. Kihyun would have called her selfish if he didn’t understand why she did the things she did. 

However, the girl that sat beside him was, as far as he could see, completely different. She had come in and immediately fought back, doing foolish things with the purest of intentions. She had no qualms with interacting with him and he appreciated that wholeheartedly. However, the one thing that stood out was that she never spoke just for herself, she had demanded that they let _them_ out, standing up for them _both._

Hanya had never done that, she barely spoke to him, much less about him. Kihyun knew he shouldn’t have been comparing them, but he could hardly help it when the contrast was right there. 

“You know…” He started, swirling his chopsticks on his plate, “you never gave me your name.”

The corners of her lips curled upwards ever so slightly, expression slightly amused. “You’re right, I didn’t.”

“Will you tell me?”

“(y/n). It’s (y/n).”

* * *

Kihyun would like to say he was rather observant, that he was able to pick apart people within spending a few hours with them. He had also fully believed in his capabilities until Hanya escaped, leaving him in the dust and forcing him to bare the brunt of his master’s wrath. 

He had never been angry with her specifically, more so at the fact that she hadn’t fulfilled her promise like she had said. It was wishful thinking to ever believe that he would escape such a hell hole; he was doomed to stay confined within four walls until he was of no more use. 

He rolled and he played with the toys like he normally did when there was no one with him for months and then loneliness ate away at him - at least Hanya had been company if not a little quiet. 

The ball of yarn unravelled between his fingers, his sharper fingernails catching on to the smaller strands and splitting them. A pair of eyes were on him and he resisted the urge to turn around. 

“Kihyun,” She said finally and he felt his heart stutter from relief, “can you tell me about Hanya, please?" 

Ironic was the only way to describe it. He had been half fantasising about her being Hanya, his mind conjuring up pretty delusions where she was the snow leopard hybrid and had come back for him. 

Though he didn’t turn to look at her, he spoke anyway. "She was nice though she never did like to talk a lot. I think I’ve only ever heard her speak around 10 sentences,” It was supposed to be an exaggeration though he half believed it, Hanya never spoke to him unless it was vital. The most she had ever said was the night before she escaped, where she had said she would help out. “Hanya had been here much longer than me, but I don’t know specifically show long. The Master was very fond of her and he would spend a lot of his time making her look nice and presentable. She would share her food with me sometimes and would even convince Master to give us more.”

He remembered how he had been starving, trying to scarf down the food as fast as he could only to realise that it had finished before the pangs of hunger in his stomach had died out. Hanya had noticed and begged the master for more, under the guise that it was for her - then given it to him when she was sure that Master wouldn’t notice.

“She sounds nice, were you close?” He shook his head. 

“Not in the least,” That question made her fall silent while he continued to pick at the yarn. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re a human, right? What is it like for hybrids outside of here?” Even if he had only been here for two years, he had only ever been passed around from bidder to bidder, before landing here. He never had the luxury of ‘being free’ due to the rarity of his species. The rich loved to keep him around like an over glorified lap dog.

She moved around, presumably thinking of a reply. “It’s been getting better recently. Hybrid activists are advocating for more rights and hybrid, if they want, can have citizenship - though it’s a little difficult. I’ve never had a hybrid so I can’t speak from experience, but they have a lot more freedom than 50 or so years ago.”

Kihyun exhaled shakily, not knowing how to feel. On one hand, there was happiness; that there was autonomy for his kind, however, the ugly sin of envy turned his vision green. He wished so desperately that he was part of the hybrids outside who could do what they wanted, that weren’t confined to the inside and forced to have children that he would never see again. 

“Oh,” He said, sounding almost passive, “that’s nice.”

There was another pause.

“I can show you, if you’d like,” Stumbling over her words a little, she righted herself with a clearing her throat, “when we get out of here, I’ll show you everything.”

A small smile worked its way onto his face, the yarn batted at as he passed from one hand to the other. “Hm.”

Maybe trusting her when Hanya had make the exact same promise was foolish, yet he couldn’t help but believe her. 

He really hoped that, even if they had similar features, they weren’t like each other.

* * *

“So what exactly does he want us to do?” She asked after spending hours doing nothing but be bored out of her mind. It was probably the tenth day of being stuck with nothing to do and she was sick to death of it. 

Kihyun shrugged, doodling on a free piece of paper. He was drawing little animals, running free in fields and a comically large sun in the corner of the paper. “Are you sure you want to hear that answer?”

“…Ask me again in ten minutes.”

“Will do, madam,” Not even bothering to pull a face at the name, she sighed and let her arms flop off the side of the bed. 

His tongue stuck out of his mouth, expression that of concentration as he shaded in and coloured the animals. For something that was supposed to be a quick drawing, it was detailed and beautifully drawn. Kihyun just seemed to enjoy surprising her at every turn. 

Being confined with someone for 24 hours a day, for nearly two weeks meant that you grew close quickly - and Kihyun was astoundingly easy to get to know. He was well spoken and had a tactical approach to most things, however there was also a playful streak in his personality. Whenever he could find the opportunity, he liked to tease her and make silly, otherwise meaningless comments. It was endearing and she couldn’t say that she minded it. 

“You haven’t eaten your food, aren’t you hungry?” She shook her head and he frowned, pencil tapping against the paper. “Don’t be stupid, you need to stay healthy.”

“Not hungry,” He didn’t push further, knowing full well that trying to ask her to do something when she didn’t want to was a herculean task. “What are you doing?" 

"Writing poetry about noodles, what do you think?” Dangling off the bed, she peered closer at the paper and made a noise of approval. Kihyun let her look at it, his own gaze firmly glued to her face. 

He knew that he should have been following orders and been doing as his master had been telling him, but he couldn’t bring himself to do any of the despicable things that had been instructed of him. She trusted him and treated him like there was nothing different about that either of them, he felt too guilty to even consider something so heinous. 

“Do you really not know what Master wants from you?" 

Looking at him, her expression was more solemn and she sat up properly. "I think he wants me to admit I’m Hanya, though I don’t know why that would benefit him.”

Well… She was half correct. 

“He wants us to mate,” The look of shock made his stomach turn, “I’m surprised his patience has lasted so long, but that’s the reason why you’re here with me.”

She looked conflicted, mouth opening and closing like she wanted to say something, yet couldn’t think of the right words to say anything. The Master had been growing restless, demanding to know if he could sell any hybrids next year or not, and every time Kihyun shook his head, he felt fear over take every nerve. 

“You’re serious?” Kihyun nodded, “that’s not happening.”

He knew that full well; the master did not.

Swallowing, she picked at a loose thread in the shirt she was wearing, the unfamiliar fabric softener scent making her head spin. “I just want to get out. We need to get out of here soon before I start going crazy.”

“I know,” He said, stopping his drawing and instead looking her in the eye. A sea of emotions swam within them, however the most prominent ones were anxiety and fear. “He won’t let us out of her unless we sell the act.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean we act like we will mate. If he believe us, it puts you at an advantage that you can use,” No longer looking at her face, he instead focused on her completely healed ankle. “I know it’s uncomfortable and I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Her hand was soft, covering the top of his own and his heart leapt into his throat, eyes wide, “and please stop excluding yourself. We’re both getting out of here. Two years in this hell is two years too much.”

He only offered a tight lipped smile, squeezing her hand back. Slowly, she got up off the bed and sat down next to him, kneeling up and taking another sheet of paper. 

“What are you drawing?” He questioned, mimicking her position, hunching over the paper to get a clearer view as she drew some stick figures. “You’re so talented.”

“Shut up, not all of us are Picasso,” Her tongue poked the side of her cheek as she drew tall, towering buildings (that were a thousand times more detailed than the people) and then a small home next to it. “There.”

Kihyun grinned, mouth opening to comment about her artistic skills when suddenly the door slammed open, the walls shaking with the force and he froze. 

“What the fuck?” She stood up quickly, her hand slipping into his as she pulled him up too. 

Four guards walked in, dressed as though they were ready for a spy mission in that they were completely indistinguishable from the other. Their facial features were covered and they had a uniform body structure and the exact same stride as they walked over to the duo, ripping their hands apart and restraining them.

No matter how much she struggled, she was unable to make them budge even the slightest amount, treating her as though she was nothing more than a bag of flour to carry. Looking over at Kihyun, he barely even bothered to struggle, allowing himself to be dragged like a rag doll. She didn’t know how to feel.

They were quick, transporting them back into the room she had originally been in; the cage still looming and uncomfortable. Goosebumps instantly rose over her body, the memory of her bruises still ghosting over her skin. 

The cage door opened with a loud clang before both she and Kihyun were thrown in mercilessly, his head hitting the bars as he yelped.

While the door closed with a loud ban, a hand shot though the space in bars and pulled him to them, the face of his master staring back at him with unadulterated rage. “You haven’t done what I’ve fucking asked of you. What’s stopping me from putting a bullet through your head, huh?”

Kihyun didn’t speak, keeping his head down and refusing to look up, pain pulsing through his cranium. “I should shoot the both of you, end your miserable lives. I gave you the opportunity to be comfortable, but you want to make this difficult,” The man snarled, lips curling into a sneer as he pulled Kihyun extra hard, forcing his head to connect with the bars once more. 

“Don’t fucking touch him!” Grabbing Kihyun’s shoulders, she tugged him back, kicking at his hands when he tried to reach them again. Cradling his head against her neck, she returned the snarl. “You wouldn’t touch either of us. You would never find another set of hybrids so rare, you can’t afford to lose us.”

Though her words were determined, eyes filled with fire even if she wasn’t sure if she was correct. It was blind hope that was getting her through as she prayed to every god she could think of that he wouldn’t pull a gun on them both.

He stared at them, mouth set into a hauntingly straight line before relenting - so she had been right.

“You’re fucking lucky,” Kicking the cage, it rattled and clanged, her eyebrows knitting further together as Kihyun tensed. “I’ll give you two days before I use invasive methods that neither of you will like.”

Finally, he left the room and she could breathe again once she heard a slam that indicated his exit. Silence fell over them both, the only sound being that of their shaky breaths as they inhaled and exhaled, hearts hammering.

“What a piece of shit,” She grunted, pulling away a little from Kihyun who sat up, ears flat and tail limp as he avoided looking at her. “What was he talking about, Kihyun? What did he want you to do?”

Swallowing thickly, his head lowered submissively, eyes screwed shut. “He wanted me to take advantage of you. He laced your food with sleeping pills.”

“Why didn’t I ever feel sleepy?" 

"Because I always ate the one that was meant for you,” He looked distraught, his expression that of self loathing. Clearly he thought that he was the scum of the earth when she thought anything but. In fact, she thought the exact opposite.

Now that he has admitted it, it was clear that his drowsiness after eating wasn’t anything to do with his hybrid DNA - always sleeping for around an hour or two after eating anything. 

“Kihyun…” Her hand rested on his thigh, squeezing it affectionately as she managed a smile, “thank you. I’m really thankful you did that for me.”

Kihyun looked up, confusion written across his beautiful visage. “You’re not mad?”

Heart aching for him, she shook her head. “No. You didn’t take advantage of me and you willingly protected me. I could never be mad at you, Kihyunnie.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Shoulders relaxing, his own hand covered hers and she leant closer to him, head resting on his shoulders as she played with his fingers. “We have two days now.”

“Mhm, you’ll get out, I promise you,” Gulping at her stare, he stammered out his next few words, “we’ll get out.”

“Yeah, we will.”

* * *

The cold against her back had never been nice, nor had it been comfortable to sleep on the metal floor, but somehow it was a little more bearable when she had Kihyun at her side. He lay wide awake, brilliant eyes glowing in the darkness, tail circled around his waist. “Are you not asleep?” He asked and she shook her head, knowing he could sense the movement. 

“Do you know why Hanya ran away?” Another shake of her head. “Because she was sick and tired of being here. She was treated like an object, a toy for him to manhandle and she hated it. She had said the night before she left that she was sorry and I didn’t understand until I heard him go crazy the next day saying Hanya had escaped and that he needed her back." 

"Oh,” She said, the soft huff tickling his neck.

But he carried on, determined to say something before he regretted every word. In two days this would be all over, with either them losing all their humanity or with them escaping - what use was there in holding back? “She promised me that she would be back after she escaped to help me out. She never came and for the longest time I was angry. Why would she leave me when she knew exactly how shitty it was to be here?” Kihyun inhaled as her hand reached for his, “and I realised. That was exactly why she didn’t want to come back. Who would want to return to the place that caused you so much misery? No one.”

“Kihyun…”

“I want to believe you when you say you’ll help me out too, but I don’t know if I can believe you. I want to, I really do. It’s just that I can’t, why would you want to help me when you’re worrying about yourself. It’s a nice dream.”

“Kihyun,” Fingers laced with his, her body pushed upwards so that she was propped upright on her elbow. “You’re allowed to feel betrayed, Hanya had no right to promise you something she wouldn’t deliver. However, I want you to know that I mean it with every fibre of my being when I say we’re getting out of here together. My life is boring and it is mediocre but it’s better with you in it. You’re an important part of it now and I would sooner be shot than to leave you behind.”

Her eyes roamed over his face and he turned away, not wanting her to see the way they had turned glassy. “O-oh.” That simple sound spoke all the words he couldn’t.

Fingers brushed across his forehead, strands of blonde hair moved away from his face. 

“Would you like to hear about my life?” It was the least depressing topic she could think of even if a little boring. She hadn’t been lying when she said it was mediocre. 

“Please.”

“I live in a small house. It only has three bedrooms but it’s been my home for a few years now. I used to have a roommate, a golden retriever hybrid called Byeongkwan, but he moved out to find his own place. He was really nice and we keep in contact even now. I work as a software designer but I took a break for a little while because I was so stressed, I had actually been heading back to the company when I was kidnapped.”

“Tell me about your friends,” he pleaded, wanting to hear more about her. 

She was happy to comply, letting his head rest on her shoulder. “I don’t have many friends outside of work and I met most of them at university while I was getting my degree. Jooheon and Ten are hybrids too, I think wolf hybrids. They’re mates and I love them both, they’ve gained citizenship and live together. I’m friends with my ex Chungha, she used to work as a therapist before deciding that being a dancer was better for her.”

“Why did you break up?" 

"She was busy and so was I. It wasn’t messy or anything, just a realisation that we weren’t compatible.”

“Oh,” He said gladly, hoping he didn’t sound too relieved.

She stroked the back of his hand with her thumb, eyes closing. “Can you tell me about you?”

“I don’t remember much of my early life. I know that I was close with two people, other hybrids called Hoseok and Hyunwoo. They’re both my Hyung’s and they took care of me whenever they could. The last time I saw them was 4 years ago just after I was auctioned,” There was nothing more to say and he left the topic at that. She didn’t prod any further either, instead relishing in his warmth and slowly falling to the lull of sleep.

Even in the pitch black, up this close he could see every beautiful feature of hers, his night vision allowing him a clear view. Her nose has a beautiful slope while her eyelashes fluttered, decorating her bright eyes nicely. Lips were parted, pretty and soft even if they were slightly chapped. She looked so much like Hanya yet was nothing alike at the same time. Every little mark and 'imperfection’ was stunning, his saliva thickening in his throat as he realised his heart was pounding in his ears. 

“Hey,” He whispered, unable to hold back his urges. 

“Hm?”

“Can I kiss you?” There was no response and he was sure that he had blown his chance at a normal friendship, the rushing of blood past his ears deafening him as panic shot through his chest. “I- i just really-”

“Yes.”

“Huh?”

“You can kiss me.”

Her explicit permission was all he needed, using his senses to his advantage as he pulled her face close to her, breathing in her scent and picking up on the steady thrum of her pulse. 

Slowly, his lips met her and all at once, his chest exploded into butterflies, his smile unstoppable as his lips curled against her lips. They were as soft as he thought they were, his eyes closing as he cupped her cheek, stroking the skin under the pads of his fingers. 

“You’re so pretty, Kihyun.”

And even if nothing else was right with the world, Kihyun could at least say he had found a shred of happiness among crumbling ruins.

* * *

“Do you know the plan?” He nodded, ears standing to attention as he surveyed his surroundings. “Okay, it’s now or never.”

Unable to form another word, he merely squeezed her hand and chuffed as she pressed a kiss to the crown of his head. Quickly, he lowered himself back onto the floor and closed his eyes, hyper aware of every noise and slight shuffle. 

“Master?” She called out, looking directly at the camera with a pleading expression, “please, I really need a shower. I promise I’ll behave if you let me have one." 

She gripped the bars, shaking them lightly until two guards opened the door and walked in, their faces characteristically blank. The cage door opened and she was escorted out, the clanging of the lock being put back in making him sweat - especially as she was removed from his sight. 

All he could do now was wait for her to come back. Hopefully.

She didn’t resist at all, letting them take her to the bathroom while she noted the surroundings, memorising every detail and corridor to make she had a decent outline of the area. Soon, she was shoved into the bathroom and she closed the door, miffed that there was no lock. No matter, it wasn’t as though she was taking a real shower anyway. 

Turning on the shower, she grabbed the shower head and aimed it for the floor in front of the door, making sure to leave a little bit dry for her to pass by safely. Then, for extra insurance, she rubbed soap across the wet floor. Spraying some water on herself, clothes sticking to her skin, she let it run for a couple of minutes before gathering all her nerve and letting out a blood curdling scream. 

The door burst open, the guards rushing in only to slip and crash into the floor, groans leaving their mouths as they toppled. Moving swiftly along the dry patch, she reached for one of the belts and grabbed the taser, turning it on and pressing it against their neck. A slippery hand tried to head her but she was quick in pinning him down too, taser buzzing mercilessly against his skin and leaving him jerking like a fish out of water. Snatching up the keys on his belt, she left and locked the bathroom from the outside. 

Barely ten seconds passed before she was racing to the room, too nervous to smile back at Kihyun who was sitting up and watching her mess around with the keys. She couldn’t have been more thankful that there was an option for a key alongside a fingerprint scanner.

"The gold one with the heart on it,” He said and she twisted it harshly in the lock, watching it pop open and Kihyun clamber out, grabbing her hand as they made a break for the front door. 

Adrenaline pumped through their veins, the world rushing past them as the taste of freedom finally started to weigh heavy on their tongues. He could hardly believe that they were so close to freedom, with it only a few locks away. 

Her fingers trembled, senses going crazy as she undid the first lock, then another and then the last one. Just as she gripped the door handle to yank it open, he felt someone grab him from behind and panic rushed through him. 

Almost in slow motion, he watched multiple emotions flicker across her visage at lightning speed and he was so certain she was going to leave him to his fate worse than death. Kihyun’s eyes screwed shut, only seeing her figure blur as she moved. 

With pure instinct fuelling her actions, she jammed the keys into their leg, the taser from before thrust right into their side as wet hands held down his arms. “Let him GO!”

The world slowed to a halt, eyes opening again to see her pulling the bloody keys from his leg and to the feeling of no longer being restrained. Her hand reached for his and the door banged open, the carpeted corridor burning their bare feet as they sped across it and down the stairs, not bothering to wait for the lift. 

Not once did he look behind, not even as his lungs burnt and his life from the past two years was abandoned. All he could think of was getting as far away as he possibly could. Neither of them spoke as they ran barefoot across gravel, concrete and grass, the endless expanse of space seemingly never ending. 

Yet, even as his feet ached for a rest and his heart was ready to give out, he found strength in her by her side, her own expression twisting into one of pain as she worked her body past its limits. 

They ran and ran until they spotted a road, hope breathing new air into their lungs as they ran faster, feet pounding against the ground with pain sending sparks up their spines. 

She rushed onto the road, waving her arms madly as a black SUV rolled to a stop, Kihyun right behind her, mimicking her actions. 

“H-help us please, we just escaped a breeding ring,” She wheezed, barely able to get any words out as exhaustion caught up to her, tears welling up in her water line. 

“Please. I’m begging you, help us,” The man within was young, and while Kihyun had feared that maybe the guards had caught up, the person within was clearly no guard. “We’re going to be caught and we can’t run anymore,” His arm looped around her waist, holding her up using his remaining strength.

The man looked conflicted eyes flickering around before he got out. “Come on, I’ll help you.”

Kihyun nodded, helping him put her into the backseat while he clambered in after, shutting the passenger door while the man got back in and started the car. 

It was quiet for a while, laboured breathing punctuated the silence as the cool conditioned air burnt the insides of their raw throats. However, that was the last thing he would complain about, not when he could feel the hot tears dripping down his cheeks, his ear pressed to her chest as he listened to her heart beat. 

They had escaped and that was all the mattered. He didn’t care that his feet were bleeding or that his entire body ached. 

“We did it, Kihyun,” She whispered, struggling to hold back tears of her own while running her fingers through his sweaty blonde hair, “we got out of there together.”

He nodded, staying silent. 

“Excuse me?” She asked and judging from the tone, she wasn’t speaking to him, “I’m so sorry for getting blood in your car.”

The man shook his head, looking at that mangled state. “Don’t worry about that,” He kept his eyes on the road, “you said you escaped a breeding mission. I’m Johnny, a lawyer that specialises in hybrid related cases.”

“A hybrid lawyer?” Johnny nodded, eyeing Kihyun.

“Do you know the name of the place?”

“Starship,” Kihyun spoke up and Johnny fell silent, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. 

“I can’t believe-” he began muttering, shaking his head while she stared at him questioningly. “You were really trapped in starship?”

“Yes,” Kihyun confirmed, “why?”

“I’ve been trying to gather evidence on him for so long. I always knew he was abusing his hybrids but I never had solid proof,” Johnny looked at them both through the rear view mirror. “I know I might be asking a lot of you right now, but would it be too much if I asked you to help me build a case? I will take you to the hospital and police station first, I promise.”

She and Kihyun exchanged a glance, wordless thoughts communicated before they nodded in sync. If they could bring the bastard that brought them so much suffering to his knees, that was the greatest reward they could possibly have.

“Okay.”


	2. Prayers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note there might be some inaccuracies with the whole court scene as I'm not a lawyer or even know anything about it

The hospital has been dreary, the sounds of multiple others and of nurses and doctors hurrying in and out was grating. Kihyun hadn’t wanted to go at all, but the adrenaline had worn away, every movement he made sending a shock up his spine - a wince flitting painfully over his features no matter how hard he tried to school it away. 

He had noticed Johnny speaking to a couple of police officers outside the room, though he couldn’t make himself to listen to the conversation. If he was out, why would he want to mentally put himself back there?

Instead, all his attention had been on the woman on the bed next to him. They normally treated hybrids separately however, her continued insistence had made them relent, allowing them to be placed next to each other. 

His honeyed hues flickered over her form, taking in how exhausted she looked. Her feet were bandaged, shards of glass removed from the bottom of her feet and bloody slowly spotting through the white fabric. The clothes she wore were tattered and wrinkled after weeks of constant wear, forced to wear nothing but the same thing over and over again by the crazed man. While he had seated them in ‘the lap of luxury’, it was surprising how little they really received. 

Even so, he found the most frightening thing to be her completely stoic expression. There was absolutely no emotion on her face, her visage void of anything and everything - it made his insides twist. 

“Hey…” He spoke softly, the beeping of the machines and low chatter from outside creating a lull in the conversation, “is anything wrong?”

It was a stupid question and Kihyun knew that full well, but what else was he supposed to say?

Looking over at him, her expression melted, lips curling into the smallest smile and eyes softening as she laughed lightly. “As good as I’ll ever be. What about you?”

“I’m okay. My thick hybrid skin can’t be hurt,” Gesturing to his feet that only needed a cleaning of a few cuts and a couple of plasters for the scrapes, he grinned at her. “See?”

“Mhm,” She moved her legs over the side, the beds close enough for her to walk over quickly to his. She sat down, her heart heavy, before taking his hand and holding it tightly. 

All Kihyun did was look down, his other arm wrapping around her waist to pull her closer. Her scent was comforting and familiar; it was escape and it was freedom. 

“We’re okay now,” She stated as his head leant on her shoulder, his soft breathing hitting the skin of her neck in steady rhythms. “I promise we are." 

And although he couldn’t tell if she was talking to reassure herself or him, he found solace in the soft spoken syllables, the words settling neatly into his heart, willing him to internalise them.

* * *

"Would you like to stay here for today? It’s okay if you say no, I don’t mind dropping you off,” Johnny’s concern was genuine, his mouth giving them an option but his eyes were pleasing, begging them to stay. Kihyun supposed staying would be easier, though he knew it was her choice.

She glanced at him briefly before chewing on her lip. “Is it okay if we stay for today? I don’t think I can handle going home right now.”

Nodding, he gave her a soft smile. “Of course you can, that’s why I offered. Would you like separate rooms?" 

She nodded before Kihyun could speak up. He understood why she had wanted separate rooms, being with someone constantly wasn’t easy, though he couldn’t help but feel a little upset. 

Johnny was kind and accommodating, his easygoing and calm aura helping them both to relax, the feeling of danger and being threatened no longer as prominent as before. He showed them around each room, telling them that his home was as good as theirs. 

"I’m sure you would like a shower, feel free to use the bathroom,” They nodded, with her ushering Kihyun in first since he would probably take longer than she would. 

While he was showering, she sat in the bedroom adjacent. She couldn’t bring herself to go out and talk to Johnny just yet, the events of the past few weeks catching up to her and almost suffocating her. She had to first make sense of her thoughts before attempting to speak to someone else about them. Nonetheless, she was immensely grateful for Johnny, especially since he was trying his hardest to help them. 

Picking at the skin of her nails, she swallowed thickly, about to get up and get a drink when she heard Kihyun’s soft grunts of frustration. Normally, she would have left but she couldn’t make herself do so. Instead, she stayed there and listened before hesitantly knocking on the door. 

“Kihyun? Are you okay?”

There was some splashing, followed by the sound of wet limbs sliding against the bathtub. “Um… I need some help. I can’t reach my back. My arms hurt…" 

"Would you like me to help?”

“Please?" 

She inhaled, reminding herself that they were safe and no one was going to make them do anything. "Okay. I’m coming in now, make yourself decent.”

His following laughter was enough to calm her nerves down, the door opening under the force of her push. Almost instantly, the steam from the water hit her and made her face feel damp. “How hot is this water?” Came her ludicrous question, the heat almost unbearable and she was outside of the damn tub. 

“I like hot baths,” He said simply, his back to her and his hair filled with suds. 

“I can tell,” Making her way to the side of the tub, she put on slippers to try and avoid getting the bandages wet, but now running the risk of slipping instead. “Do you want me to help you with your back?”

Slowly, she dipped her hands into the water and took a cloth, wringing it gently before going across his back. As her hands glided against his skin, she could feel the raised skin from past wounds, the scars littering the vast expense of his back and permanently marking him. They all looked like they had been deep, the marks a lighter colour than the normal warm caramel.

There were no words spoken, only the calming sounds of water sloshing and gentle breathing as she moved across his back. It only took a few minutes for her to completely finish, giving him one last rinse with water cupped in her hands and dropping it on his shoulders, rinsing away the lather. 

“Thank you,” He said, looking over his shoulder to give her a soft smile, “I appreciate it.”

“No worries. Is that all you need?” He debated telling her to stay before deciding against it. Watching her walk out, the door shutting as she left, he let his body relax and he slumped against the tub, his eyes closing. 

Warm water lapped over his skin, soothing the deep ache of his heart and his body. For a few minutes, he let himself sit there, appreciating how he no longer had to rush and complete everything within ten minutes. 

Eventually, Kihyun did get out of the bathtub, drying himself off and wrapping a towel around his waist. As he opened the door, he realised that she had been sat on the bed in the connecting room, her eyes meeting his briefly before she headed into the bathroom and closed the door, locking it behind her. 

Nonetheless, he didn’t dwell on it and instead pulled on the clothes that Johnny had left out. They smelt vaguely of him, his scent still clinging to the clothes despite the detergent’s fragrance. 

Just as he was about to leave, his hand on the doorknob, he heard soft sniffling from the bathroom, followed by the faintest smell of salt. 

She was crying.

It was quite obvious that she was trying to be quiet and he didn’t blame her, though his instincts told him barge in and comfort her - he knew she would rather be left alone for the time being. 

“Johnny?” He called, looking around and trying to find the younger man, hearing a 'here’ in the general direction of the kitchen. 

“I made food. Do you know if she’s done yet?” Kihyun shook his head. 

“She’s just gotten in. I think she’ll be a while,” Johnny didn’t push him to elaborate further, instead nodding at him and gesturing for him to sit down at the table, even going so far as to pull out a seat for him. 

Everything about his place was warm, from the soft pastels that decorated the walls to the actual temperature of his house, it was homely and Kihyun found it was a dramatic change from his confinement. 

“Here you go, I made some food but I wasn’t sure what you would like,” A plate of fried rice was placed in front of him and he could have teared up, his saliva suddenly incredibly thick as he stared at the food. There was no smell of narcotics nor was there even a hint of malice n Johnny’s expression. 

“Thank you,” He managed to choke out, hand shaking as he lifted the spoon to his mouth. Kihyun inhaled, trying his hardest to gain control over himself before continuing.

As he ate, he could feel Johnny watching him - not with any ill intent but more so curiosity. His ears twitched and Johnny’s eyes followed the movement.

“Is there anything you want to ask me? I don’t mind,” Kihyun said finally and Johnny blinked owlishly, startled by his voice.

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Johnny admitted and Kihyun felt his chest warm up, smiling as he spooned more rice into his mouth. He didn’t mind talking about it because he wanted to disassociate himself with what had happened - acting like he was a third person viewer to the horror he had experienced was much easier than trying to deal with it head on while he still felt vulnerable. 

“It’s okay. You can ask whatever you want,” At least he was distracted while the questions were asked.

“Alright, thank you. Can you please tell me how you ended up with the owner of starship?" 

Thinking back on it, he swirled his spoon in the bowl, the metal clanging against the ceramic as he played with the rice. "It was just over two years ago. I was auctioned off at this underground place after being kept in a facility for a few weeks. He bid just over a billion won for me, I think? And ever since then, I was kept in that room with Hanya.”

“Who’s Hanya?” Kihyun looked up, his eyes dull even under the lights of the kitchen.

“The hybrid that he thought (y/n) was. She was kidnapped because a few months ago, Hanya had escaped and since they look very similar, he thought she had managed to alter her looks and hide from him. Hanya and I were supposed to… have kids so he could sell them.”

To Johnny’s credit, he didn’t even flinch at the story, his features forming an expression of understanding and sympathy. “I’m sorry, Kihyun, no one deserves to go through that. People can be so inhumane.”

“You didn’t do anything,” Kihyun said, turning back to the bowl, “you want to help us so I trust you. You don’t have anything to apologise for.”

Johnny reached out, his hand over Kihyun’s as he smiled reassuringly. 

“I’ll put him behind bars, I swear on it.”

* * *

He was tired, his eyes drooping as he sat up in the bed. It was difficult to go to sleep when he was by himself, the lack of warmth that he was used to keeping him awake for most of the night, no matter how much he tried to substitute it using duvets. 

Pulling his legs over the edge of the bed, he got up and stretched. If he listened closely enough, he could hear shuffling from her adjacent room and the sound of Johnny’s slightly heavier footsteps outside in the living room.

With a pull of the door handle, he knocked on her door, waiting impatiently for the 'come in’ that followed a few seconds later. As he walked in, he noticed the room had a very similar colour scheme to his own, the rich brown of the walls perfectly complementing the white carpet and beige rugs at the end of the bed. 

She was sat up, sleep still glazing her eyes and he knew instantly that she hadn’t slept a wink either. 

“Hi,” He said simply and she gave him a small smile, patting the bed beside her. 

“Hey, Kihyun,” Her hand reached out for his, holding it tightly enough that he was able to pick up her pulse, the slow thrumming comforting him immensely. “I’m guessing you didn’t sleep well either?”

“You’re right,” He spoke, thumb rubbing over her skin, “I guess I was too nervous. We’re supposed to go to the police station today. I heard Johnny talking with them last night, but I wasn’t able to hear it all.”

She chewed on her chapped lips. “I really hope we never have to see him again. That bastard deserves hell for what he’s done.”

“I agree,” He said before his ears perked up again, hearing Johnny moving around, getting closer to their door. “We should get up now. I can hear Johnny coming.”

Following him wordlessly, she followed him out of the bed, his tail curling around her wrist for a few seconds before letting go - Kihyun didn’t even seem fully conscious about his actions. Almost like clockwork, Johnny knocked on the door. 

“Are you guys awake? I’m sorry to disturb you.”

“You weren’t disturbing us, don’t worry,” He reassured while Kihyun opened the door. Johnny looked a little surprised; like he hadn’t been expecting to see Kihyun there well. 

“At least you’re both awake,” He smiled, “after we have breakfast, is it okay if we head down to the police station? I promise the officers are really nice, they’re my close friends so they’ll help us.”

“That’s okay,” Kihyun said, looking over his shoulder to look at her as she nodded. “Thank you for doing all this.”

“There’s no need to thank me for having morals,” Johnny replied and they both couldn’t help but smile. At least there were still some good people in the world.

Breakfast went by quickly, their appetites minimal but energy high. The ride to the police station took almost no time at all, with them bypassing the front desk as soon as Johnny had mentioned that he was there for two men called 'Shownu’ and 'Yuta.’

“Would you like to be interviewed together or separately? I’ll be there too since I’m your lawyer, but it’s whatever you want for your comfort,” It didn’t take them longer than a second to say that they wanted it together, neither of them wanting to sit alone with an officer. 

Johnny walked with them into the room, taking a seat beside Kihyun while two men were sitting in front of them with a notebook and pen. 

“I’m Yuta,” The one of the left introduced, his smile broad and handsome features welcoming as he shook both their hands. “And this is Shownu-hyung. It’s nice to meet you both.”

Kihyun nodded, giving Yuta a well meaning smile back but his attention wasn’t on the long haired brunette, instead it was solely on the hybrid next to him; shownu, as Yuta had iintroduced 

There was something so strikingly familiar about him, he couldn’t quite put a finger on it. Maybe he had seen him at one of the events he was forced to go to also?

Shownu, seemingly noticing Kihyun’s hard stare, looked at him and smiled, his eyes turning into soft crescents as he resembled a teddy bear. Instantly, Kihyun gasped out loud, adrenaline rushing through his veins at once, movements almost jittery as his throat constricted. 

“Oh my god. Hyunwoo-hyung?” Shownu looked at him; over his blonde hair and soft white and black speckled ears, before lingering on his face. “Is that you?" 

The older man nodded, almost in awe as he gently whispered. "Kihyun?" 

All at once, his eyes began watering, years worth of buried loneliness and hurt resurfacing until he couldn’t hold it back anymore. Shownu got up and he barely noticed how the others shuffled out of the room to give them privacy, his attention too caught up on his best friend that he had pegged for dead long ago.

Hyunwoo looked a lot healthier, or at least Kihyun thought he did, he could hardly remember anything other than the fuzzy outline of his face. His face was full, shoulders broader and his skin glowing - Kihyun wished he could have said the same about himself. 

"You’re the hybrid Johnny picked up?” Hyunwoo asked and he nodded, wiping at his eyes. “I hadn’t gotten your name or I would have recognised you earlier. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m just happy I’ve gotten to see you. It’s been so long and I never had a way of contacting you or Hoseok-hyung,” Pulling him into a hug, Hyunwoo’s hands rested on his back, stabilising him.

Fingers ran through his hair, picking up the strands and letting it fall back down, his ears checked for any damage. Thankfully, the only thing that had been done was a piercing - a tag in his ear labelling the starship CEO as his owner. Hyunwoo stared at it for a moment before letting his hand fall. 

“You don’t have to worry about Hoseok. He’s actually in the police force too, he works in reception and lives with me. We can visit him later, if you want,” Kihyun nodded instantly and vigorously, wanting more than anything to see the people that took care of him. 

“I’d like that,” Offering him a smile, Hyunwoo then frowned a little.

“Are you okay with this? Do you think you’re alright to do it?” Kihyun knew that he more than likely knew most of the basic details already, but he already felt miles better knowing that one of his close friends was going to be helping him. 

“I am, don’t worry Hyung. It’s not just me, it’s (y/n) too.”

The elder nodded, signalling for the others to come back in while they took their seats. They quickly found their footing, her eyes meeting Kihyun’s and he gave a slow, cat-like blink back. 'We can trust him,’ he said, 'we’re safe.’

Yuta sat back down, brushing hair from out of his face and giving them good natured simpers. “Is it okay if we start?”

Fiddling with her hands, she volunteered first. Her inhale was deep and Kihyun could tell she was trying to disassociate too, the feelings of anger clear in her fiery hues. “I was only there for around two weeks but I remember a man asking me to look at his car and me refusing. After that, I woke up in a cage with pictures of a woman that looked like me on the walls. The CEO came in and he kept addressing me as Hanya even though I told him I didn’t know who that was,” She stopped fiddling, instead looking Yuta directly in the eyes, “He threatened to kill me because 'I knew how much money my kits would bring him but I still ran anyway’. Then I was put in a separate room with Kihyun until we escaped.”

Yuta was quick to write everything down, the recording also going on to keep track of everything. 

“Do you know who Hanya is?" 

This time Kihyun spoke up, the reassuring nod from Johnny strengthening his will. "Hanya’s a snow leopard hybrid like me and he wanted us to-” he gulped thickly, “to have children so he could sell them. Hanya escaped three months before he kidnapped her.”

More writing came and more questions were thrown at them, each one dragging more information out of them than the last and it was draining. While both had wanted to throw the experiences down to the deepest recesses of their minds, they knew they had to spill their guts just this once.

“Okay, one last question,” Said Hyunwoo, smiling at them both while leaning over to turn off the recording. “Are you both okay? He wasn’t physically able to do anything, was he?” She noticed his eyes wondering to Kihyun’s ear, the tag there glinting almost mockingly. 

She shook her head but Kihyun remained silent, eyes darting behind the bear hybrid. The silence was enough to speak a thousand words. 

Yuta shared a glance with Hyunwoo and Johnny. “Is it okay if we document them? It’ll help the case more but we understand if not." 

He felt a hand slither into his lap, warm fingers squeezing his own and he closed his eyes, nodding. "Y-yeah. It’s okay.”

“I’ll let Shownu-hyung do it. Do you guys want to follow me?” Yuta got up and they all followed, however, she lingered behind for a few seconds - waiting for him.

As the others left through the door, she gulped thickly.

“Excuse me, Shownu-ssi?” He looked up, one rounded ear against his head and the other pointed towards her, “I wanted to say thank you.”

His expression was mainly blank but his brows had furrowed a little; she took this as her que to carry on. “For looking after Kihyun all those years ago. I’ve known him less than a month, but it feels like an eternity if I’m honest. He spoke of you and of Hoseok-ssi very highly and… Yeah. I just wanted to tell you that I’m grateful.”

Hyunwoo was still for a moment, looking at her with wide eyes before his face softened, lips curling into the welcoming, soft simper he had given them before - except this time it was full of genuine appreciation. “You don’t need to thank me, I should be saying thank you to you. You’ve helped Kihyun out of that place and brought him back to us.”

He clasped a gentle hand on her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. “Come on, we should go before they wonder where we went.”

“Okay,” She replied, returning his smile, heart a million times lighter than before.

* * *

As he was ushered into another room, he was sat in another chair, Hyunwoo disappearing for a few moments before returning with someone following behind him - their scent familiar enough to have him gasping. 

However, before he could say a word, they had already rushed over to him, pulling him into a tight hug that made him feel nothing but comfort and belonging. “Kihyun. I missed you so much,” Hoseok whispered lightly, choked up as he hugged his friend tightly, fingers running through his hair. “How are you?" 

"I’m okay,” he replied, genuinely meaning it despite the circumstances, “you look so different, hyung, but it’s a good different,” Kihyun reassured quickly, looking over the man in front of him. From the scrawnier thing he had last seen, Hoseok had made quite the transformation. His shoulders were broader, his face more full and his physique amazing, nonetheless, the same kind glint remained in his eyes and Kihyun knew he was still the same caring person he was all those years ago. 

“Thank you,” Hoseok beamed, petting his hair and smoothing his fingers across his ears, “you’re okay with us documenting this? 100%”

Kihyun nodded. “100%, I want the bastard jailed.”

“Okay, stand here please. We’ll be quick and you can go home to rest, promise,” holding up his pinkie finger, Kihyun curled his own finger around it and giggled. “Can you take off your shirt for me, Hyun?”

He shut his eyes tightly, steeling himself as he lifted up his shirt and turned around. The flash of the camera was caught in his peripheral vision, the scars illuminated under the bright light and clearly painting the picture of all the pain he had to endure at the hands of his 'owner.’

There wasn’t much to photograph other than a couple more images of the scars on his hips and the piercing in his ear, the tag removed and placed in a bag. 

As he reclothed himself, he could hear the two talk behind him, speaking about something that he didn’t care enough to eavesdrop on. His arm went through the sleeve and a hand landed on his shoulder, startling him. “Oh,” he spoke, eyes wide, “is everything okay?" 

"Yeah, I-we just wanted to know if we could know where you’re staying? We don’t want to lose contact with you again especially not during something like this,” Hoseok bit his lip, as though he was expecting him to refuse, “You’re staying with Johnny aren’t you?”

“I’m not sure actually. I think I’m staying with (y/n) at her place now, Johnny was only temporary,” They nodded, smiling at him. 

“That’s okay,” Hyunwoo said while they walked out of the room and he sighed lightly in relief, “We’ll let you go now. I know it’s scary being in here, it takes a while to get used to. We were really welcomed here actually. Hybrid rights have gotten better and the auctions are a lot rarer.”

'Good,’ he thought, 'I hope no one ever goes through the same thing as me.’ Not even on his worst enemies would he wish the torture he had seen. All he could be grateful for was that she hadn’t seen the full brunt of his master’s anger. 

The trio regrouped with both her and Johnny, wishing them a nice day and asking for Kihyun to call them when he could before they were called back to return to their duties - the meeting ending much too quickly for his liking. 

“Would you like me to take you to your house?” Johnny asked her and she nodded, “are you going with her, Kihyun-ss?”

“He is,” She answered for him, joining her pinkie with his and holding it up, making Johnny laugh fondly, “we’re a team now and forever.”

“You guys are an amazing team,” Johnny praised sincerely, walking them back out to the car park and starting up the car, “you’re both really inspiring, and I’m not just saying that. You guys have been through so much and you’re still so kind,” he shook his head, “I’ll put him in prison even if I have to spend every penny I have to do it.”

“Johnny…” She started, onto to be interrupted by a stern look from him in the rearview mirror. 

“I’m serious. I’ve been trying for some long to prove he’s scum and now I can. I know the media will be all over this as soon as it’s announced but I’m really hoping it’ll discourage anyone else if they see someone so big being publicly ridiculed,” The drive was calming, the world passing by quickly and insignificantly, “I’m sorry that you guys have to go through this. It must feel like being guinea pigs.”

“It’s okay, there always has to be a first. It just happened to be us,” Kihyun replied and Johnny nodded, the conversation dying out, yet the atmosphere still felt relaxed. 

Soon, they had arrived at the address she told him, the building tucked away behind a multitude of other towering pieces of architecture. Johnny squinted, looking at the place but not saying anything. 

“It’s here, right?”

“Yeah, thank you. I really appreciate it, Johnny.”

“No problem, just stay safe okay? Call me if you ever need anything. That goes to both of you,” They made eye contact and Kihyun dipped his head in acknowledgement, giving him a wave before watching his car disappear back onto road, the back lights glinting as Johnny went back onto the main road. 

The silence fell over them again, the quiet palpable and almost becoming part of him once more as he inhaled, eyes closed. “You live here?”

She nodded. “It’s a small place but I was looking for somewhere new before… All this. I think I’ll hurry up with that after today. Let’s go,” walking into the ground floor, she gestured for him to follow behind - her fingers inches away from his and his urge to reach out and grasp them was almost unbearable.

As he walked behind her, he realised that the building was certainly nothing amazing, but it wasn’t anything disgusting either. Of course there was peeling paint on some walls and profanities written in the tiniest font in the cracks, however, he found that it was a pleasant change from the pristine clean walls he had to surrender himself to for so long. 

They stood in front of the door, the brown wood cracking lightly at the edges and stained with years of use. 

“Shit. I forgot I don’t have the keys… Wait one minute, I think I left a spare one hidden somewhere. Kihyun, can you look in the potted plants please?” He nodded and then laughed, more than happy to help her. 

She looked around and under the mats, cursing loudly under her breath, though he was still able to hear every mutter. Digging through the plastic plants, he found a key buried midway down the pot, his fingers grubby as he grasped it with a proud smile. “I found it!" 

"You’re amazing, Ki!” His heart trembled at the nickname, not even regarding the silly unintentional pun because he was too busy with his head in the clouds. “God, I’m hungry. I hope nothing is expired.”

The key slotted perfectly into the hole, the click satisfying as she pushed it open. Walking in after her, he took a moment to stand in the hallway and looked around. 

Nothing about it was extravagant nor too fancy, the walls were coloured a mute beige that bled onto the corners of the ceiling. Pictures of flowers were framed, a painting of a red rose hanging just next to the coat rack where two jackets were already hanging. 

Taking a couple of steps further, his shoes squeaking against the wooden floor, he looked into the living room. Gold flecked eyes roamed the place, trying to absorb everything at once in case it disappeared from in front of him. 

He was stood still, speechless until he heard her calling out his name. “Ki? Kihyun? Do you want to take off your shoes?" 

Nodding hurriedly, he scrambled to take them off, placing them next to hers and standing up straight. "Your home is nice,” he said simply, meaning every word of it.

Even though she had picked up on the use of 'home’, she didn’t say anything more, only smiling at him. “Do you want something to eat? I’ll have to see what I have.”

He hadn’t even considered saying no, his feet moving faster than his brain as he raced with her into the kitchen, white tiles chilling underfoot. It was small, barely big enough for both of them to walk past each other with cupboards reaching the ceiling and a fridge situated in the far corner.

“Do you have ramyeon?” Kihyun questioned, the sudden urge to have Hoseok’s favourite becoming apparent. “I’d like some.”

“I think so,” rummaging around in the cupboard, she pulled out a few packets, “I do! They’re uh-” she squinted at the package, “chicken flavoured.”

“That’s okay, I like chicken,” He almost wished she would stop smiling at him, since every time she did so, his heart decided to hammer against his chest and his lungs constricted until he thought he would suffocate.

The process of making the food was oddly… Domestic. Nothing was said or done out of the ordinary, the water bubbling providing a soft background noise, but Kihyun thought it was the best thing he had ever been a part of. Being starved any normal interactions for the vast majority of his life - he supposed it was only natural that his chest felt fit to burst when she rolled up his sleeves for him when he washed the dishes. 

Finally, after around 15 minutes of hanging around in the kitchen, the food was finished and placed into cute ceramic bowls, still steaming and topped with a variety of vegetables and an egg. 

“Here you go, I hope it tastes good.”

“It will,” Kihyun reassured before sitting down with her at the coffee table in the living room, the TV turned on to play as background noise. “You know… I never got to fully thank you. I’m so grateful you kept your promise,” the unspoken 'like Hanya’ hung heavily in the air. 

Stirring the food in her bowl, the steam rising and disappearing continuously, she hummed. “You don’t need to thank me, so don’t. No one deserves the shit you’ve gone through and with this court case, he’ll rot in prison.”

“Yeah,” he swallowed down the noodles, his insides warm, “I hope he does, we just have to believe in it.”

Her eyes met his and the world stopped, the only thing he could see was the entrancing colour of her hues as they hardened. 

“He will. I’ll make sure of it.”

* * *

The night was cold, strains of moonlight leaking through the blinds and bathing the floor in strips of heaven. While the stars twinkled and winked in the darkness, she remained wide awake and still. 

Nothing she did was making her sleepy even though tiredness tugged at every inch of her being - practically begging her to give into the kiss of unconsciousness. 

She sighed, the sound dulcet yet drained. Every sense of hers was heightened apart from her vision; the world blurring in front of her as tears of exhaustion began to fill her water line.

No matter how much she rubbed at them, they kept coming and all she could do was lay and curse the world. 

Shutting her eyes tightly, she will her muscles to relax when she heard shuffling outside the door, the sound of footsteps only just becoming audible. Light from under the door became obscured, a faint shadow of legs making it way through the hole before two gentle knocks followed mere seconds later. 

Kihyun; it had to be Kihyun. 

The door opened without a word being spoken, beams of light joining the moon’s own rays as his figure stood in the doorway, head down and ears flat.

“I can’t sleep,” he whispered, looking more at his fingers than her, “…can I stay with you?”

She sat up, blinking rapidly to clear the blur from her vision. There was no other way to put it, he looked worse than she felt. 

Blonde hair stuck up haphazardly, like he had been rolling around for hours on end and his shoulders were slumped, holding the weight of the world on them. This was the most vulnerable she had ever seen him.

“Yeah, you can,” The words were out of her mouth before she could even think to say otherwise, his ears perking up at the approval and the door shut with a click behind him. 

Lifting the covers silently, he climbed in quickly and she let them drop around him. “You good?” She asked, more so in general than just the current situation. 

His eyes were shining, the night sky donating stars to them and letting them sparkle. “Hm,” he buried himself further under the covers, his head barely above water, “I just… I kept having nightmares.”

The statement was simple but she knew exactly what he meant. She couldn’t deny that she had seen visions of what could be, ones that kept her heart racing for minutes past her waking up. 

Instead, she simply moved closer, wordlessly opening her arms and inviting him into them. Gold flickered up to meet her gaze and she nodded, his body moulding against hers within seconds as his head rested under her chin - listening to the gentle beat of her heart while his pounded. 

“It’ll be okay, I swear. I won’t let you go,” Despite her words barely being heard, they still echoed in his ears and rang in his head.

“…I know it might be early or to soon but I think,” he breathed in quickly, “that I might be in love with you.”

She didn’t speak another word, instead tightening her hold around him and pressing a feather light kiss to the top of his head. That was enough of an answer for him. 

And slowly, for the first time in weeks, they slept soundly without any nightmares to haunt them - the world shrinking to just them both and letting them enjoy the peace and salvation they so rightfully deserved.

* * *

When the news broke that Shin Deoksu, the CEO of Starship, had been arrested on charges of kidnapping and hybrid abuse,q neither she nor Kihyun - or even Johnny, could have predicted the media circus that would ensue.

Every time you turned on the news, it was there in gigantic banners. Every article online was talking about how unexpected and disgusting it was. Netizens creating posts with proof and others fighting for him, vying for his innocence. 

As soon as they realised that he had been arrested, everything seemed so much more real. Everything depended on the outcome of this trial; Kihyun was terrified. 

No matter how hard he had tried to play off his nerves and anxiety, she had caught him breaking down in his room too many times to count; too many times for it to be healthy. It was so often that she had considered getting Johnny to try and postpone the trial just so he could have some peace of mind beforehand. 

But the law was ruthless and the date that had been set was the date they had to be there, all they could offer to Kihyun was words and actions of consolation. 

“I promised you that I would put the bastard in prison and I will. You don’t have to doubt me, Hyung,” that had definitely made him smile, Johnny’s reassurance making him feel a million times better. 

The drive to the court was short despite feeling like hours, the actual time taken only being around 20 minutes at most. The scent of cedar wood seeped into the air, along with artificial lavender that made his nose twitch. 

“We’re just going to get seated, okay? You guys know what to do, just answer any questions honestly and truthfully. Don’t even give him the time of day, it’ll be over in a couple of hours,” He held their hands gently, his smile calm and beautiful. “I know we’ll win. His lawyers might be good, but he can’t do anything against solid evidence.”

They nodded, sitting down where they were instructed to and waiting for the trial to start. One by one, people began to file in and fill the rows, some cameras being allowed in though they kept to the corner and away from them both. 

Then the whole court fell silent as he walked in, the CEO’s expression cold and stormy before he sat down. Kihyun swore he had scowled at him but he couldn’t be too sure - all he could do was depend on Johnny. 

The opening statements went past quickly, time blurring, though he could distinctly feel unadulterated anger radiating from her as the words 'not guilty’ were pleaded. 

'Okay,’ he thought, 'It’ll get you a longer sentence, you bastard.’ He couldn’t let his emotions get to him, not now when everything was coming together. 

Soon he was called up as a witness and he could feel the stares all over his body, working their way under his skin and trying to make him insecure. Kihyun refused, his head held high as he greeted the judge and sat in the witness box. 

As soon as he was sworn in, Johnny stood up, the barest hint of a smile on his lips - telling him that it was alright. 

“Good evening your honour, my name is Suh Johnny and I’ll be conducting the direct examination of hybrid Yoo Kihyun,” Johnny turned back to him, “Can you please state your name for the court.”

“I’m Yoo Kihyun.”

“And can you state your breed?”

“I am a snow leopard hybrid,” People exchanged glances, almost speaking out loud from the shock of hearing such a rare breed be spoken - much less be out in the public speaking against such an affluent man. 

His questioning from Johnny wasn’t difficult since they were things they had gone through before at his house. Things like his relationship to the accused and to (y/n) were discussed and it was going well. Not even the cross examination had managed to faze him, despite how he could feel the man’s eyes burning into his skin.

His eyes were dead, full of nothing but indignance towards kihyun and towards the situation. It was utterly infuriating how aloof he was - like he hadn’t ruined the lives of three other people.

He had thought that both she and himself would be the only witnesses, however, he couldn’t help his shock when Johnny called up someone else. 

“May I call to the stand the witness Miss Ahn Hanya,” His blood ran cold, the air leaving his lungs as a woman from the back that he had overlooked initially stood up, her face previously obscured by a large hat and sunglasses. 

Hanya looked nothing like the tattered and broken woman that had run away 4 months ago. 

Kihyun looked over at Deoksu, taking a miserable pleasure in the bewildered expression, the colour slowly draining from the man’s face as reality dawned on him. At least he had this small victory; and judging by her sly smile, she had noticed too.

Sitting down in the witness box, she was calm and collected. He half wondered why she wasn’t pressing charges against him either but he figured he could ask later.

Hanya’s hand rested firmly on the book, her words loud and clear, echoing in a way that seemed to shake the CEO to his core. 

“Please state your name to the court,” Johnny repeated, almost sounding smug. 

“I’m Ahn Hanya, also a snow leopard hybrid.”

“And what is your relationship to the victim and the accused?”

“I was the co-captive of Kihyun. And to Mr Shin, I was his hybrid,” The hatred glowed brightly in her eyes, the golden ring of her iris’ almost blinding. 

“For how long were you held captive with Mr Kihyun?”

“I was held with Kihyun for over 2 years but I had been trapped for a further 3 years prior.”

“And how were you able to get out?”

“I escaped during the night when I had managed to find a copy of a key.”

“Did you not have free access to the building?”

“No,” she shook her head, “neither of us were allowed out of one room except on rare occasions when I needed to do photoshoots.”

Johnny nodded, the judge writing down notes while the entire court watched, entranced. 

“What were the photoshoots of?”

“Me modeling clothing or jewellery. It never lasted very long before I was back in the room.”

“Do you know the reason why you were imprisoned?" 

"To have children with Kihyun. He kept us there in hopes that we would procreate and have kids that he would then sell in order for profit,” Now people gasped, unable to hold back their disgust, “We refused for many years and he would threaten us. Saying how he would kill us otherwise.”

It was like a game, Kihyun thought as he listened to her speak, a stupid game where everything was beginning to come full circle. He had seen the similarities between both her and Hanya, yet he had never been able to see them together until now. Both had a wildly passionate look in their eyes, the burning desire to get revenge so clearly engrained. 

The direct examination was over and it was time for the defense. He really had no idea how her expression didn’t morph into one of disgust as she regarded the lawyers.

“Did you, or did you not consent to being the hybrid of Shin Deoksu?" 

"No I did not. I was sold at an auction against my will and I had no say towards who bought me or what happened to me.”

“Are you able to locate where the auction was held?”

“No. I hadn’t seen the outside of the building. It was also 5 years ago so it wouldn’t be accurate even if I had seen it.”

“So you were aware of being auctioned?”

“Yes.”

“Did you make any attempts towards objecting to being sold?” The question made people’s faces screw up, Kihyun’s especially. 

“Yes I did but of course, I was overpowered. I still ended up imprisoned.”

“While you were staying with Shim Deoksu, were you the victim of any physical assault?”

“No I personally wasn’t. Kihyun was. He was more verbal in his threats with me.”

The questions seemed to carry on endlessly, Hanya’s patience fraying around the edges before finally his lawyer sat back down. The evidence was presented, images of his scarred back shown on screen as well as the tag in his ear that directly incriminated him. CCTV footage of them running away from the building and of her being kidnapped was broadcasted for thousands to watch, the case clearly closed. 

And last but not least, the document he had signed to buy Kihyun was placed in front of them - more than likely acquired when Johnny had first picked them up off the road and the police were sent.

No matter how good his lawyers were, there was no way of saying that he was innocent. Not even the closing statement given by his lawyer could save him from the disgusted glares and the reputation that was left in ruins.

The trial was over, the criminal sentenced to no less than 40 years in prison with no chance of parole, and that was without the kidnapping charges being considered. Kihyun was certain that he would have rotted for life otherwise, and he had every intention of doing that later on. 

It was incredibly satisfying watching him be pulled out of the courtroom like a lowly thief, his head bowed and hands bound by both the law and handcuffs. Kihyun hoped he never forgot the malice filled smile he had given him - teeth bared and so wide his cheeks almost hurt.

Slowly, people began to file out of the room, leaving behind only the few lawyers and witnesses. He looked around frantically, trying to spot Hanya before realising she must have slipped out too. 

“I’ll be back in a minute, I have to go find Hayna,” Johnny had opened his mouth to retort but she had placed a hand on his to stop him, dipping her head lightly at Kihyun as if to tell him to go quickly. 

He ran, trying to locate her scent among the tens of others that had been present before heading to the car park and finding her midway through getting into a car.

“Wait! Hanya!” He hadn’t meant to scream it so loudly, his desperation leaking into the words he spoke. Thankfully, she has stilled, amber eyes wide and full of apprehension. “Please, can I talk to you?”

Her gaze flickered between the car and Kihyun before nodding, stepping away from the car to walk towards him and motioning for him to go inside to somewhere more private than a car park. 

They ended up finding a spare room in the building, not caring about the fact that they weren’t supposed to be there. 

Kihyun swallowed, all the words he wanted to say suddenly becoming thick adhesive that shut his lips together, his mind becoming muddled as his stomach churned. What were you supposed to say to the woman that had left you behind to rot?

Instead he closed his eyes, opening them again to look directly into her eyes. “Hanya, thank you.”

Judging from her bewildered expression, that was the last thing she had been expecting. 

“Thank you for coming to testify, I know it was had and I’m so grateful.”

Hanya looked him over wordlessly, eyebrows furrowing together in an unreadable emotion. “Aren’t you angry?” She asked finally, words slow and tentative.

“I was, I can’t lie, but I know you had your reasons. I don’t need to know them, we’re both free now and it would be unfair to hold a grudge.”

Relief coloured her features, the strength that has been keeping her shoulders straight finally dissipating as she slumped. In that moment, she looked more human that he had ever seen her before. “I’m sorry, Kihyun. I just- I just couldn’t get us both out of there. I had already made too much noise while escaping and I had to choose between getting captured again or escaping without you. I was going to get you out, I swear.”

Waving her off, he offered her a gentle smile. “It’s okay, I said I’m not mad. I’m just curious how you found out about the case.”

“Your lawyer was the one to track me down. He said that you were pressing charges and I just had to say something. I hate the fucker so much, it was my revenge as much as yours,” She fiddled with her hat in thought, “the girl. Ma- he brought her in thinking she was me, right?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, did he … Make her do any photoshoots?”

“Not that I know of? She didn’t leave the room,” Kihyun explained and Hanya looked relieved. 

“That’s good,” She held out her hand, a slip of paper between her fingers, “It was nice seeing you again, Kihyun. If you ever need me, just give me a call. I have to catch a flight but I’ll always be free to talk.”

Taking it, he held it close to his chest and waved goodbye, watching her disappear into the car and drive away. 

His fist tightened around the paper, reading each number slowly and memorising it. He thought, as he returned to both her and Johnny, that maybe there weren’t that many differences between her and Hanya after all.

* * *

“So, Ki, what do you think?” Her hands from his eyes to around his neck, her chin resting on his shoulder as she waited for his reaction, he left smiling pressing lightly into his neck as he stared, doe-eyed. “Do you like it?”

His hands reached up to grasp hers, his eyes watering as he looked down at the documents that gave him his freedom, the entire world now in his palms and his to do as he pleased. 

“Y-you got me citizenship?” She hummed, pressing a light kiss to his cheek and smiling broadly, pleased with his reaction and more than elated at the fact that her plan had gone so smoothly. 

“I wanted to keep it a surprise, just until I thought that time was right and everything was finalised,” His breathing was shaky, tears and happiness staining his cheeks as he read over the official documents and the judge’s signature. “Now you can get your own place and do whatever you want, Ki.”

Everything he ever wanted was in his hands, his future finally his own and yet… He felt sadness at the idea of leaving her behind. Even if he could travel the world, see the sights he had only ever dreamed of, he couldn’t imagine doing it without her. Not a single day would he let go by without hearing her voice or seeing the warm sparkle in her hues that never failed to put the moon to shame. From the darkness that has shrouded and hidden him, she had been the singular strand of persistent moonlight that refused to give up - finally gracing him after years of being locked out. 

Kihyun couldn’t give that up. 

“Can I stay with you? I only want to be with you,” Her laughter was soft, twinkling in his ears and sending his heart into a sympathy of a similar tune.

“Of course you can, baby. I said I would never leave you and I never break a promise.”

He believed her wholeheartedly. 


End file.
